There are countless books to read and it is impossible to choose which books to read. That is why we have curated a list of the 30 must read books of all time. Keep reading to see which books made our list!
Choosing which books to read is a big decision and that means you must select a book that is worth reading. Once you have read enough classics and must read books, then it is alright to try your luck with new books. But we recommend reading these must reads at least once. They are the books that have changed the literary world. You can see the full list below!
The 30 Must Read Book of All Time
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
- 1984 by George Orwell
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
- Animal Farm by George Orwell
- The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
- Lord of the Flies by William Golding
- The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
- Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
- Dracula by Bram Stoker
- Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
- A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
- The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
- Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
- Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K Dick
- The Secret History by Donna Tartt
- The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
- Watership Down by Richard Adams
- The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
- Ender’s Game (Ender’s Saga, #1) by Orson Scott Card
- The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
- The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
- The Nightingale Kristin Hannah
- Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
- Dune by Frank Herbert
- Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
I first read To Kill a Mockingbird in high school and couldn’t put the novel down even if I wanted to. The story is told by the viewpoint of Jean Louise Finch and tells the story of Atticus Finch defending Tom Robinson, a black man who has been accused of raping a white woman in Maycomb, Alabama. This novel has topped many lists as the best American novel of all time.
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
If you love fantasy novels, then you have to read The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. Not only is it an amazing series but it is the formula that many fantasy authors have used to write their novels. If you have read a bunch of fantasy novels, then you have most likely come across troupes that were popularized by Tolkien.
1984 by George Orwell
A sci-fi novel that has risen to popularity in modern times is 1984 by George Orwell. When some ideas in this sci-fi and dystopian novel came true, people’s interest in the novel rose. The novel touches on issues such as mass surveillance, a controlling regime, and disinformation. Dystopian novels imagine a horrible future and this is one of the novels that has correctly predicted some stuff, making it popular with many readers today as a result.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
One of my favorite novels of all time is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. It tells a chilling story about a family that hides a Jewish man in Germany during World War II. The writing is incredible but what I love the most is using death as a narrator. If you haven’t read this timeless classic, then you are missing out.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
One of my favorite novels has to be The Secret History by Donna Tartt. It is a murder mystery that takes place on a college campus and recalls the events that led to the murder of one of the members of the club. This novel gave birth to the dark academia subgenre and established Tartt as a one of a kind author.
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
One of the most popular dystopian novels must be The Handmaid’s Tale. Some people may have read it in school while others read it for fun but either way, it is an impactful novel. Another classic dystopian novel that is up there is 1984. They both tackle serious issues and make us imagine the worst-case scenarios.
Ender’s Game (Ender’s Saga, #1) by Orson Scott Card
A classic sci-fi novel that is beloved by millions of reader’s is Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. The novel is about Andrew “Ender” Wiggin, a six-year-old boy who is sent to training camp to play simulated war games where he faces off against aliens. The plot, writing and questions about morality make this a novel unlike any other.
Dune by Frank Herbert
A novel that jumps out from the sci-fi genre has to be Dune by Frank Herbert. Whether or not you have read much sci-fi books, there is a good chance that you heard about this novel. It is a sci-fi novel that has amazing world building and has resonated with many readers. Many critics consider this the best sci-fi book ever written.
The Nightingale Kristin Hannah
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah is an amazingly well written novel about two sisters during World War II and the choices they made during the Nazi’s occupation of France. This novel made me discover Hannah’s amazing writing ability. Her word selection is one of the best and she will evoke emotions in you that you didn’t even know you had!
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
A newer book that made the list is Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. It is a novel that you will think about long after you have finished reading it. Mandel has become one of my favorite authors over the years and this book showcases her amazing talents. This novel captures all of my favorite things about dystopian novels and Mandel’s writing proves that this subgenre still can be original and mindblowing.
Conclusion
That ends our list of the 30 must read books of all time. How many of these novels have you read? What books would you add to this list? Let us know in the comments below?
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I read about ten of them. Particularly enjoyed Betty Smith “A tree grows in Brooklyn”
FAHRENHEIT 451 and THE MASTER AND MARGARITA would be part of my list.
yes!
The Bible
Better
Absolutely.Correct…(The BIBLE consists of 73 “Books” actually), but it is the Best & Wisest Reading Ever 😊!
This is probably the worst reading list of all time. It’s immature, basically a high school reading list with intent. For every book on here I can find five that are better.
Sure..
I’ve read 16 of them. You are missing “Star Maker” by Olaf Stapledon
<– reading like mad
Love the book list. Timely
I have read 14 of them. Why is The Secret History by Donna Tartt in the list twice?
You come across as a person with a lively mind. I enjoy reading your lists and discussions.
What about Hemingway’s “The Old Man And Sea” Also T.E.Lawrence “Seven Pillars Of Wisdom” Also Gibran Kahlil Gibran “The Prophet” etc…???
Stockholm – Sweden.
Just noted the title of this article has an typo. Says book instead of books.
You listed The Secret History twice.
So thats 19/29 for me.
Suggest you re read your list of 30 books you must read. As the Secret History by Donna Tartt is on twice
I would like to add Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murokami
Nice set of books there! A lot I loved to read. I’ve read 22/29.
P.S. If it was a copy & paste error, what was originally the 30th book?
Better read a few books that can emotionally enrich you and help you to get a new perspective and develop empathy and compassion for others.try reading moby dick or marcel proust.even a lifetime is not enough to read all the books. My vote for you to include nikos kazantzakis zorba and all his books.he thought deeply and felt deeply and shares his valuable experience of life
I argue that this list is biased by the selector. My list of 30 will be different to everyone else. Everyone else will be different to everyone else! It will go on. Very simple. There’s no standard
Your suggested collection of books is the best.
Great AI written article.
Next time get the program to say why we should read them.
Gentleman From Moscow by Amor Towles. Also something by Barbara Kingsolver. Bean Trees perhaps!
Few will agree on the best 30 of anything! But thanks for this. I’ve read about 10. Need to read more. Currently reading histories of our founding fathers. Wish they’d also discuss faults more of each, which were often substantial.
You mean. “30 WESTERN BOOKS”, right?!?! Because that list is so Eurocentric 🤦🏾♂️🤷🏾♂️
This is why people think that any and all things only have relevance if seen through white eyes. Where’s James Baldwin,Alice Walker, Octavia Butler, Toni Morrison, Zora Neale Hurston,and a slew of other worthy Black and Brown authors? I love To Kill A Mockingbird but even it rest upon the white savior prism.
Where’s Madame Bovary?
I have read them all. This list is pretty spurious. Dune? Really? Donna Tartt? Packing? It does not include important nonfiction by authors such as Whitehead , Sagan and Baldwin. it also ignores some truly great contemporary authors such as Alice Walker and Barbara Kingsolver. But then, without clear criteria for determining what ‘great’ means, any book could be included even true trash.
You’re joking, right-but there’s nothing humorous about this list-it has only lessened any intellectual discourse.
The Man with Wolves for Hands
Song of Solomon, Native Son and I know why the caged bird sings, just to name a few.
Gone with the Wind not on the list? Please.
How about the bible, don’t you think it should be at the top of the list?
The Stranger, by Albert Campus.
A very good read.
There are only 29 books on this list. The Secret History is on there twice.
You need an editor. Donna Tartt, Secret History, is listed twice.
Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler and Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
This is the most American list of books to read I have ever seen it’s sad and laughable at the same time. An average European high-school kid has read more and has a better compilation than this supposedly mature and well read preson (?). There are Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Thomas Mann, Herman Hesse, Camus, G.G Marquez, etc you name it and your list contains Salinger and Khaled Hosseini? I’m shook. Pardon my English, it’s my third language.
There’s only 29 books on the list. you doubled down on The Secret History.
I nominate Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
you can’t make a list of 30 books without including Dickens
It was enlightening to see the selection of ‘should read books,’ but I was rather surprised that Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” did not make the list. Curiouser and curiouser!
Not one black author, I believe??? And if I missed 1 or 2,so what??? Were talking mainly aboutblack,not indian,not asian,not oriental ,not mixed race etc.Also apparently only AMERICAN authors ,white by the way,have written essential books???? That is sick,sad and actually funny. I guess no Kafka, Camus,Moravia,no Joyce,no Gide, no Tolstoy,no deUnamuno etc…u get the idea.
Dickens,Baldwin,Huston….we could go on and on .Shame on this organization, you need to expand your horizons to include the WORLD OF BO9KS NOT JUST AMERICAN, unless things are specified as such which would be totally fine. You guys have hot to do a better job in the future.Hitckiers Guide etc, one of the 30 most important books to read out of all the books in the world???? Really ,this book is that important???? This is where u totally are an embarrassment with this list.
First, proofread your articles before posting – this is the second list in two days with works listed twice. Second, I agree with the poster who said it sounds like a high school reading list. Heavy on white US and UK writers of the late 19th and 20th centuries but missing almost every major writer, including Nobelists, Pulitzer, and Booker winners. Another failing grade.
A conventional list with a couple of strange choices. Neil Gaiman is fantastic, but ocean is far from his best, subjectively or not. Night circus is a descriptive writing exercise without a story.